1. Field of the Invention
The present invention, in general, relates to belts and buckles and, more particularly, to devices that maintain a buckle lever in a closed position so as to better secure a belt that holds a bag of golf clubs on a golf cart.
Golf carts include a platform that is usually disposed behind the cart and which is useful for placing the bottom of one or more golf bags thereon. An elevated U-shaped support bracket is disposed above the platform and includes a belt and a buckle attached thereto. The belt is normally passed around the outside of the golf bag or bags and then into the buckle. The belt is tightened as desired and urges the golf bags against the support bracket where they are retained in position.
The buckle includes a pivotable lever of some sort, typically with a cam attached thereto that, when tightened, presses upon (binds) and secures the belt in place within the buckle, thereby also retaining the golf bag (or bags) on the platform in an upright position.
Unfortunately, a problem all too well known by golfers, is that the pivotable lever sometimes loosens (opens) during transport, the belt dislodges from the buckle, and the golf bag or bags fall to the ground as the golf cart is driven.
The lever can loosen for any number of reasons. A few of the more common reasons include simply not fully closing the lever tight against the buckle when the golf bags are first secured in place. If conversation is transpiring, for example, the user may not be aware that he or she did not fully close the lever. Either tension between the lever and the belt or a slight jar during use can cause the partially closed lever to spring from the partially closed position and pivot into an open position.
Another reason that the lever can loosen is that, during use, the belt is often tightened nearly the same amount each time and so it may tend to wear in certain general areas along its length. This is because most golf bags tend to be about the same diameter and, depending upon the number of bags placed on the platform, the belt will often be tightened to either of a few common positions.
Also, the cam portion of the buckle will wear from normal repeated use and become increasingly loose. As the lever is held in the closed position by tension applied to the belt which is in turn pressed against the back of the buckle, any slack between the cam portion and the belt will tend to cause the lever to open during transport.
Another common reason that the lever can pivot open is because it can be contacted by a branch of a tree or a bush during transport which can easily flip it open unknown to the operator of the golf cart, as would be any of the conditions as described hereinabove as well as for certain other reasons not described herein.
When the pivotable lever swings open the belt is no longer retained and is able to be easily pulled out of a position of cooperation with the buckle. As the golf cart is driven, normal shaking and vibrations will cause the golf bags to jostle around and to pull the belt out of the buckle. Once the belt has been pulled out of the buckle the golf bags can fall off of the platform and onto the ground.
Often the surface that the golf cart is driven upon is either formed from poured concrete or is made of asphalt, either of which provide a potentially damaging hard and abrasive surface upon which the golf bag and the golf clubs contained therein may land.
Needless to say, the risk of damage to expensive golf clubs is great and the sound of a golf bag falling on the ground while in a moving golf cart is indeed a painful one for any golf club owner to hear.
The problem itself is not especially easy to solve. While there are a relatively few primary manufacturers, there are nevertheless numerous manufacturers of golf carts and platforms and their associated brackets. There are numerous belts and buckles in existence as well, not all of which are dimensionally the same. Therefore an ideal solution must take into account the differences in manufacture that currently exist amongst the most common products that are currently available.
A further obstacle needing to be overcome is that any potential solution intended to keep the buckle closed must also be easy to apply or golfers will simply not take the time or exert the effort necessary to properly install it.
Another requirement is that any solution must also stay in position until the user deliberately wishes to remove it, at which time it should be easily removable.
Furthermore, it must be kept handy. If a solution is difficult to find, then golfers will likely not take the time to find and use it even though it may be especially easy to use once found.
There is another problem associated with the storage of golf bags on a golf cart. Often golfers will stop, at a club house for example, and get food or drink before continuing play or returning the golf cart back to its drop-off location. Sometimes when they come back to the golf cart, they find that their golf bags have been stolen along with all of their expensive golf clubs. Therefore, an ideal solution would also provide for the more secure storage of golf bags while they are on the golf cart.
Any prospective solution, ideally, should also be inexpensive to manufacture and therefore, to purchase.
Even more ideal, it would be free or nearly so to the end user. It is well known that golf as a sport is experiencing a recent tremendous growth of popularity. There are many manufacturers of various types of golf equipment, such as golf clubs, golf bags, golf shoes, golf carts, and various other golfing and related accessories eager for opportunities to advertise their companies in ways that reach other golfers.
Therefore, if a golf cart buckle lever retaining clip could be used for advertising, there would be added incentive for the various manufacturers to provide it either free with other purchases, for example, or at very low cost to the golfer. As such, the ideal solution would also provide consideration of the needs of various manufacturers for advertising.
Accordingly there exists today a need for a golf cart buckle lever retaining clip that helps to secure a buckle lever in a closed position, is inexpensive, is suitable for use with a variety of buckles, is easy to apply, stays in place once it is applied, can be used to advertise product, is easy to remove, is easy to find, and which can, if desired, improve security when storing golf bags on a golf cart.
Clearly, such an apparatus would be a useful and desirable device.
2. Description of Prior Art
Retaining clips and the like are, in general, known. For example, the following patents describe various types of these devices:
U.S. Pat. No. 483,299 to Cadwell, Sep. 27 1892; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,475,974 to Torrey, Dec. 4, 1923; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,490,871 to Wagner, Apr. 15, 1924; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 1,682,536 to Otten, Aug. 28, 1928; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,869,198 to Clevett, Jr., Jan. 20, 1959; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,214,686 to Dostourian, Jul. 29, 1980; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,044,049 to Owens et al., Sep. 3, 1991; and PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,644 to Mesher et al., Mar. 5, 1996.
While the structural arrangements of the above described devices, at first appearance, have similarities with the present invention, they differ in material respects. These differences, which will be described in more detail hereinafter, are essential for the effective use of the invention and which admit of the advantages that are not available with the prior devices.